YOUR AD HERE »

Centerpiece salad takes center stage

Veggies in all sorts of textures and colors create a work of art

Forget the bouquet of flowers, this centerpiece salad has enough beauty to fill the table with color and wow your guests with its striking appearance.

“Food really can be art, such as is the case with this centerpiece salad,” said Ally Stephens, chef-owner of Season to Taste. “Taking the time to beautifully plate the food you’re serving can take a dish to the next level.”

At your next dinner party, serve this Instagram-worthy dish and be prepared to have your guests delay dinner to snap a few photos of the centerpiece salad. Serve as a side or add some protein like cooked eggs, chicken, shrimp or crab legs to make it more of a meal.



Stephens said she doesn’t have a set recipe for this, but bases the ingredients on what is appealing to her eye at the markets and farms and chooses what looks the freshest in a variety of colors and textures.

“For this particular salad, I chopped some fresh spinach to create a base on the bottom of the salad and then added the following greens and veggies: purple kale, grilled romaine hearts, endive, sugar snap peas, spiralized golden and red beets, rainbow carrots, multi-colored radishes and grilled baguettes,” Stephens said.

Support Local Journalism




“Grilling romaine hearts unexpectedly elevates and transforms your romaine into a beautiful, slightly smoky, charred delicious treat. It may even get non-salad eaters to eat some greens,” Stephens said.

Serve the salad with different homemade dressings to account for a medley of flavor profiles and dietary restrictions. Learn how to make the salad and homemade dressing in today’s video.

Pesto Buttermilk Dressing

Ingredients

1/8 cup basil pesto

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 shallot, chopped

1/4 cup buttermilk

Juice of one lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or use an immersion blender and blend until well combined. Pour over chopped vegetables and toss until it’s evenly distributed.


Support Local Journalism